Chapter 19 - Reckonings
Arc glares at the stallion before him.
“Hello again… Hawthorne.”
Hawthorne frowns. “How… how did you figure it OUT?!”
“It was easy once I put all the pieces together.”
Rutherford looks confused. “Um… who this?”
Ember stands up angrily. “The former High Justice of Baltimare… Judge Hawthorne.”
Arc nods. “Yeah. He was the one whom sent you to Tartarus, right?”
Ember brandishes her claws. “That’s correct. And I’d like to personally thank him for that!
Arc hold up a hand. “Not yet.”
Hawthorne looks Arc up and down. “You CAN’T be that smart! Somepony had to have betrayed my identity to you!”
Fiona points a paw at the former judge. “Watch your tongue, traitor! You’re addressing the Lord Regent!”
Hawthorne smiles wickedly. “Then my plan WAS a success!”
Iris growls. “To get caught, worm?!”
“Arc glares at Hawthorn. “No one ratted you out, scum. You failed all on your own. But I don’t understand what it was you were trying to accomplish here.”
Hawthorne laughs. “Isn’t it obvious, you hairless ape?!”
The Marquis seethes. “Watch your tongue, maggot, and answer the question!”
“Very well. Using my magical disguise I found it was foal’s play to move around your base undetected.”
Rainbow Dash grits her teeth. “Hiding in plain sight?!”
“Yes, you inept little harpy! My true objective was to spread mistrust and disharmony through this little gathering of yours, LORD Arc!”
“Why?!”
“The Council of Shadows isn’t keen on the nations uniting under a single banner.”
Twilight raises an eyebrow. “Uniting?!”
Hawthorne points a hoof at Arc. “It’s obvious that’s what he’s doing!”
He looks around the room at the leaders.
“The Hero of Light is playing you all for fools! Defend your lands against him while you still can!”
Ember raises an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?! Arc had the chance to enslave all of dragon-kind and he didn’t!”
Felix nods angrily. “He came to the aid of my nation as well!”
“That’s right. My husband and I even offered complete control of our land to the Lord Regent in return for Equestria’s protection and support.”
“He went after the Storm King’s base and risked his ship and crew to stop him once and for all.”
“Never once did he ask for our obedience or servitude! Even after I… let him down.”
Hawthorne frowns. “What?!”
Arc sighs. “I had no use for slaves or serfs to strengthen Equestria, or to bolster my own wealth.”
Goldstone mutters under his breath. “Fool.”
Rutherford stomps the floor. “Pony king challenge yak to Yakni-Ki! He win, but not finish yak off! Lord Arc honorable pony!”
Ikis turns to The Marquis. “He rescued our nation’s greatest hero from Tartarus and returned him home to his own kind.”
The Marquis nods. “Never once did he ask for anything in return, save for a bit of humor to save his friend’s life.”
Iris clears her throat. “He freed my son Kane from his servitude and allowed him to return home to our lands.”
Sereb growls at the traitor. “Arc formed a Life Pact with me and together we have brought honor to both our nations through numerous selfless acts of heroism.”
Gestal looks to Hawthorne. “He found and returned my daughter to me without incident and without asking for anything in return.”
Ghaleon sighs. “As much as I’m loathe to admit it, he did save the Council of Lords when they were kidnapped and held prisoner by the rebels.”
Pinkie glares at Hawthorne. “Yeah! And he’s always been there for Equestria when he was needed!”
Applejack nods. “And my family.”
Rarity looks to Arc. “Along with Sweetie Belle and his own little family.”
Fluttershy looks out from behind Rainbow Dash’s dress. “He could have easily killed that Ursa Minor the other day. But he chose to help them instead.”
Rainbow Dash narrows her eyes. “Arc would never leave somepony hanging!”
Twilight steps forward. “That’s right! You and your Council of Shadows, or whatever you call yourselves, are the real villains here!”
Brightwing lets out a squeaky roar. “Yes! Scary pony talks with scariness in voice!”
Hawthorne shakes his head. “You’ve all been deceived! I’m telling you that he’ll come for your lands when you’re the most vulnerable!”
Fiona frowns. “Ha! We’ve been there!”
Felix nods fervently. “He didn’t enslave us then, and I don’t believe he will in the future!”
Arc turns to Hawthorne. “One thing I don’t understand is why you felt the need to do what you did to the princesses.”
Hawthorne sighs. “As much as it pains me to say this, you are much more qualified to lead Equestria in Celestia’s absence. I was merely ensuring you would retake the throne. Truth be told, it was a simple task of asking the Storm King to redesign Captain Decimus’ poison. Feel free to thank me now for putting you back in power.”
Arc grits his teeth. “Thank?! I could STRANGLE you!”
Ember frowns at the traitor. “What?! Then why do all this?! Why sabotage the summit?!”
“To keep the nations apart as nature intended!”
Hawthorne looks over to the real Prince Tugem.
“All I need now is something to make a bit of a… ruckus around here.”
Without another word Hawthorne charges headfirst at Tugem. Trixie cries out.
“NO!”
Without wasting a moment Trixie Blinks between Tugem and Hawthorne. She fires a blast from her horn hitting the judge in midair. He flies across the room but lands on his feet. A grin spreads across his face.
“Oh, this will be fun.”
He clears his throat.
“LITTLE HELP OVER HERE!”
A portal appears. Half a dozen shadow creatures rush out of it followed by another hooded stallion in a black robe. He tosses Hawthorne a knife with a wicked looking blade. Arc turns to Ember, Sereb, and the Mane 6.
“Get everyone out of here!”
Twilight turns to the diplomats. “Come on, everypony! This way!”
Sereb and Ember cover everyone’s retreat into the corridor before returning to Arc’s side. Hawthorn looks at Trixie and snarls.
“Start with the blue unicorn.”
None of the shadow creatures move. Hawthorne glares at them.
“Well? What are all of you waiting for?!”
“Orders from me, fool.”
The robed figure turns to look at Trixie.
“She’s mine.”
The stallion tosses away the robe. It disintegrates upon hitting the floor. Arc clenches his fists, suddenly enraged as he calls forth the rest of his armor and spear.
“DECIMUS!”
“I’m so glad you remember me.”
Decimus looks at Trixie. She instinctively takes a step back.
“She and I have unfinished business. Minions! Barrier!”
The six shadow creatures fan out as a barrier forms trapping themselves along with Trixie, Hawthorn, and Decimus inside. Arc rushes forward as Trixie backs up against it. He smashes a fist against it.
“Let her out of there, Decimus! This is between you and me!”
Ember rushes forward and slashes flutily at the barrier with her claws. “It’s that same shield as last time!”
Sereb jumps against the barrier but slides down it. “We’re not making a dent!”
Decimus smiles wickedly at Trixie as she looks around fearfully. “Don’t worry, stupid unicorn. I’ll make sure this is as long and drawn out as possible.”
Arc calls out to her. “Trixie! We can’t get through!”
“Wha-what do I do?!”
“You’re going to have to take him on yourself!”
“WHAT?! But he’s out of my league!”
Decimus grins. “That I am!”
He looks at the knife in her belt.
“If you’d like to slit your own throat and save me the trouble, that would be fine.”
“Trixie! Draw your weapon!”
Sereb growls. “It’s your only hope!”
Trixie slowly does so. She holds it in front of her with her magic nervously. It shakes as the Telekinesis Spell holding it up wavers. Decimus smiles at her.
“I was hoping you would make this fun! Now then! I’ll paint the floor with your blood!”
Decimus lunges at her, his weapon at the ready. Trixie throws herself out of the way. Her knife clatters to the floor as a stream of blood flows down her cheek.
“Take him down, Trixie!”
“Arc! I… I can’t!
Sereb continues slashing at the barrier. “It’s you or him!”
“He’s a former Captain of the Royal Guard! I don’t stand a chance!”
Decimus laughs. “True. Do try to make this fun for me though, would you kindly?”
Arc slams a fist against the barrier. “Listen to me, Trixie! Shining Armor believed in you! He taught you everything he knows! All you have to do now is believe in yourself!”
Trixie gets to her hooves. “I… I’ll try.”
Decimus toys with his blade. “Good. For a moment there I thought this would be over too quickly.”
Trixie looks around for a moment. Spotting her knife she makes a run for it. Hawthorne gets to it first however and grabs it before bucking her into a nearby chair, smashing it to pieces.
“Now, now. Can’t have you cutting your superior.”
Trixie gets to her feet shakily. “C-Captain Shining Armor’s in charge now!”
Decimus grins as he walks toward her. “Not for long.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just like you, I have a score to settle with him. The upstart who usurped my position and made a shambles of my plans.”
“Score to… settle?”
Decimus brandishes his blade. “Do not worry. I will get to him in due time.”
“Leave him alone!”
“Oh? And what do you plan to do about it?!”
Trixie looks down at the smashed chair. Her horn aglow she picks up two of the legs with her magic and holds them out in front of herself nervously.
“I’ll stop you here and now!”
“Good! I like a good warmup before a proper workout.”
Decimus lunges at Trixie. She bats him away with one of the makeshift clubs. He lands against the barrier and uses it to propel himself at his opponent. Arc calls out.
“Look out!”
Trixie puts the club in front of herself in a futile attempt to block his strike. Decimus smashes through them and the pair roll across the floor. Eventually they slide to a stop with Decimus on top of his opponent. He tosses his knife aside and puts a hoof on Trixie’s helmet. Looking down at her menacingly as he rips it off.
“Stupid unicorn! You’re not worthy of that armor!”
He pulls his hoof back and smacks her with the helmet across the face. Trixie’s nose begins to bleed. Ember calls out to her.
“Hit him back!”
Sereb growls. “Yes, he’ll kill you otherwise!”
Decimus hits her again and again with the helmet. Trixie’s face is bloody and bruised at this point. She calls out weakly.
“Please… please stop…”
Decimus grins. “Of course. But only because you asked so nicely.”
He steps back and allows Trixie to slowly get up. As soon as she does so however he bucks her in the ribs sending her flying back against the barrier. Tossing her helmet aside, he laughs as he walks towards her.
“I had forgotten how much fun it was beating you, stupid unicorn.”
Arc snaps his fingers. “Trixie! I have an idea!”
“Wha…?”
“His minions are maintaining the barrier!”
Ember gasps. “That’s right! Take them down and the barrier should fall!”
Sereb nods. “Then we could help you!”
“I… I’ll try!”
She runs headlong at the closest one. A moment later she feels a vice-like grip on her tail before being thrown yet again into the barrier by Decimus.
“Now, now. You have to play fair.”
Arc pounds on the barrier. “Trixie, you have to get past him somehow!”
“How?! He’s just so much faster than I am!”
“Overwhelm him! Use that technique you tried against me in our battle!”
“But that didn’t work on you!”
“True! But it might on him!”
“I’ll try.”
Grabbing her helmet with her magic she pulls it to herself. Planting her hooves firmly Trixie begins casting a spell. Decimus rolls his eyes.
“I can’t think of a single spell that could possibly…!”
He stops talking as a mist suddenly envelopes them.
“What the…?”
Trixie looks around. She spots the first minion and silently creeps over to him.
“Great. Now I just need a weapon.”
Thinking a moment, Trixie removes her helmet and bashes the minion in the head with it. With a howl it vanishes. Hawthorne turns to Decimus.
“She just took out a minion!”
“Find her!”
As Trixie hides in the mist, she one by one takes down her shadowy opponents until only one remains. Hawthorne and Decimus rush over to it
“What now?!”
Decimus looks around. “We wait for her to come to us. Stand ready.”
A few moments pass silently as Decimus chuckles.
“What are you doing?! Biding your time?! You have to come at us eventually. Why not just get it over with?”
With a look of determination, Trixie dispels the mist. It quickly fades to reveal her about twenty feet away from her opponents.
“Now then, come at us and face your doom!”
Trixie grins. “Very well.”
Her horn aglow, Trixie begins casting another spell as Decimus scoffs.
“More mist? Surely you have to know that won’t work on us at this point.”
“Nothing of the sort. Now then… are you ready for me?”
“A weakling like you, stupid unicorn?! I could beat you in my sleep!”
“Really? Then let’s just see about that!”
She casts the spell. Two doppelgangers step out from behind Trixie as she continues casting. A moment later they split as two more come forth from each bringing the total to six. Hawthorne gasps as he turns to Decimus.
“What do we do?!”
“She’s still just a bug to be crushed. I’ve faced more in the past.”
Trixie laughs. “Really? Then how about this?!”
They split again as Trixie’s army reaches an even dozen. She and her doppelgangers smile angrily.
“One more time!”
In but a moment the group doubles again to twenty-four.
“That should do it. Now then…”
She clears her throat before continuing. Her voice coming from each copy.
“Which one is the real me?! Can you tell?! I know I can’t!”
They all laugh as one for a moment before planting their hooves as one and taking up a battle-ready position.
“CHARGE!”
Decimus turns to Hawthorne. “Only the real one can hurt you! The others are just an illusion!”
“How do we stop them?!”
“GET EM ALL!”
Decimus swings his knife at the Trixies as Hawthorne does the same. A few moments later several of them jump over the rest. Decimus brings his blade up and slices through the two as they pass overhead. They fade to mist as a third one passes him. She removes her helmet and bashes the minion with it. Hawthorns screams.
“NO!”
The barrier falls as Arc, Ember, and Sereb rush toward Trixie’s assailant. Decimus holds out a hoof as a wave of dark energy bursts forth. The trio fall to the ground as Rose rushes forward to stand between the two groups. Trixie runs over to them.
“Arc?! Are you alright?!”
Arc nods as he stands up quickly. “Yeah! What the heck was…?”
Hawthorne runs to stand beside Decimus as he charges up his next attack.
“Let’s take this outside, shall we?”
With a wave of his hoof Decimus opens a dark portal and knocks Hawthorne through before jumping in himself. Ember frowns as she and Sereb stand up.
“Where is he?!”
Sereb sniffs the air. “Gone.”
Rose frowns. “I’m detecting anomalies in front of the base, Arc.”
Ember turns to Arc. “He wants us to come to him!”
Arc clutches his spear angrily. “Then let’s give those two the fight of their lives!”
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did not expect that coward Hawthorne xD
10606734
But now Arc's being drawn outside...
Neither did my wife.
The plot thickens.
Not sure if the origional Cavandish gravity measureing device is sensitive enough to work in this situation, but its a good place to start with working on themore sensitive magical versions etc?
I forgot what was done to make Decimus unkillable, and so hard to damage. His actual existance core is in a seperate magically secured item, location that might not even be still on the world itself? So even hitting him with the Sun, or Elements wouldnt exactly do anything to stop him permanently?
10607417
Don't worry, you didn't forget. I just haven't released the chapter that explains how Decimus keeps coming back yet.
Although it's worth pointing out that every time he does come back, he comes back more powerful. Remember the first time he appeared? Arc effortlessly knocked him off the Canterlot Castle drawbridge.
The first time he died was when he was crushed by falling debris. Second time was when Arc was Lord Regent and Decimus attacked Canterlot Castle and Arc more or less vaporized him.
I do wonder how he keeps doing that.
I honestly thought it would be decimus but when I recall previous chapters Hawthorne does fits this situation better. Decimus is more of a long term schemer and better back up planner then a quick thinker. Excitement happens, can't wait for more! Though my internet is down at home, U_U, so I must wait longer times until I have free time at work.
10608863
Admittedly, I couldn't decide whom to use, so I chose a team up.
I do wonder though... what awaits Arc and friends outside...
I believe you meant "Of course" not "Oh course"
11373558
Thanks. Fixed it.